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Water chemistry has many old holdovers. One is referencing ions to "as CaCO3" allowing easy calculations. A value for HCO3 of 50 (as CaCO3) is the same as a value of 61. I have several LaMotte test kits. One measures Na, but provides intermediate measurements yielding Total Alkalinity, SO4...

I like the kiss principle to water treatment advocated in this thread. I live in Denver and have spoken to many of the local craft brewers. Few to none treat their water. By treatment I mean adding minerals or acids (to reduce HCO3). Maybe we have "perfect water". So I'm wondering about the...

Don't bother posting your video. If you can't explain/defend your position in words then you have no knowledge of what you are talking about. AJ has offered data and reasoning in his statements, all you provide is hyperbole and exclamation points in yours. Whenever I hear someone resort to "I...

Regarding temperature to measure mash pH. I have always used room temperature, which I define as 20 to 25C, for several reasons. First one calibrates ones pH meter using control solutions at RT, so the most accurate measurement well be that made at the calibration temp. Second, only expensive...

Thanks for your thoughts. It is interesting that you have been able to generate a dry finish without the use of a strong mineral profile adjustment. This is a data point strongly suggesting mineral adjustment is not a solution. Our grain bills are not all that dissimilar, I use 45% Vienna...

AJ I'm curious about your thoughts on water profiles for Oktoberfests. BJCP Style guide states the lager should have a moderately dry finish. I detect the indicated moderate dryness in samplings of Paulaner, Hacher-Pschorr, and Spaten. The style guide states "Somewhat alkaline water (up to...

AJ I think the drops are of uniform size as the hypo needle is cut square to its axis (i.e. not sharp) with no burrs inside or out so surface tension should enforce consistency. The color changes are sharp and rapid. I also was under the impression that these indicators had very...

Actually the kit's precision is not quite as low as 10, 10 and 4. But can be improved with a minor modification. While the graduated syringes used to add the titratant are marked at these intervals, quantization error exists. The quanta is droplet size of the titratant. So I generally...

Accuracy of the LaMotte Kits is okay. If one is willing to take a deeper dive, and spend another $50 or so, accuracy can be improved by purchasing a volumetric flask, calibrated pipets of various volumes, and acid of calibrated normality. I can't speak to the chemistry behind the method(s)...

Talking with the water company is a good start. But I have found that the results have a wide range for any given ion. As an example, Ca may be reported as 20 - 45 ppm or Alkalinity as 42 -81 ppm. The range accounts for seasonal variations (for me snow melt in the spring vs. bottom of the...

My approach to Alkalinity and mash pH has always been open loop. I would make detailed measurements of brewing minerals and HCO3 via titration for my water prior to each mash. Minerals were added to reach locale profile goals (profiles which I realize are highly dubious). Acid was added to...

AJ thanks for the detailed reply. I'm hearing the message. Measure Measure Measure Therein lies truth. I too saw the RA straw, and being mathematically inclined latched on to it. That and chemical equilibrium equations and solubility constants are kinda fun to play with. But I was...

AJ, I have read through this Primer and have some summery observations that I would appreciate confirmed if you could along with a few questions. Your “Baseline Water” is defined to be of low mineral content (< 20 ppm Ca, Cl, SO4, Na) and low alkalinity (<35 HCO3 as CaCO3) acquired via RO...